Weeds
Weeds aren’t just annoying they can harm our environment and community. They compete with native plants, block water supplies, smother pastures, poison livestock and even cause health problems like allergies, skin rashes and hay fever. They also upset the balance of our natural ecosystems.
Who Looks After Weed Control?
We all have a role to play:
- Council manages weed control on Council managed land such as parks, reserves, public gardens, nature strips next to these areas and rural roadsides
- Landowners are responsible for weed control on nature strips next to their property, as well as on all privately owned land, including vacant blocks
- Council maintains a list of locations of African boxthorn, boneseed, bridal creeper, cacti and silverleaf nightshade on rural roads for control. If you see any of these weeds, please report them to Council’s Environmental Sustainability Team on 03 5018 8100 or via Snap Send Solve
Managing Weeds on Your Property
The best time to remove weeds is before they flower or produce fruit and prickles.
- For small infestations: pull weeds out by hand and dispose of them properly
- For larger infestations: you may need a mix of methods, including hand-pulling, chipping with a shovel or chemical control (always follow safety instructions and seek advice from your local garden centre)
Prickly Weeds – A Community Challenge
Prickly weeds like caltrop and khaki weed are common in our region and can be a real nuisance. In urban and semi-urban areas the best way to control them is:
- Pull by hand, starting from the outside of the patch and working inward to stop spreading
- Chipping with a shovel, make sure you remove the roots
- Place pulled weeds in your green organics bin
Other Tips
- Chemical control can help for big infestations, ask your local garden centre for advice
- Changing your landscaping can slow weed growth. Planting and maintaining other plants can outcompete weeds over time